Changes of the Heart
by piscesclio
Summary: Hermione and Draco get set up on a blind date and discover each are people they never knew
1. Chapter One

Standing in front of the mirror, Hermione examined her appearance for the millionth time. She normally didn't care what she looked like, but she had been trying to change that. She had desperately been trying to give off the impression that she was a girl, a fact that was taken for granted by most of the people she knew.  
  
Her bushy brown hair had been straightened and given an auburn tint, and somehow she had been talked into pink streaks. She was wearing a black satin corset top that fit her newly developed upper body perfectly. A black miniskirt hit her a couple of inches above mid-thigh. Her velvet thigh-high boots laced all the way up the back with black satin ribbons, which only left a small sliver of skin to be revealed. She had topped of the whole outfit with an ankle-length black suade coat. Hermione turned around once again, still not quite sure of her new look.  
  
"Mya, don't worry. You look amazing." Hermione glanced at her friend, Kaitlyn, who was lying on the bed, watching her get ready.  
  
It was the middle of June, before her seventh year at Hogwarts. Only a few hours after returning home Kaitlyn had invited Hermione to stay the summer with her. At first Hermione was a little hesitant. Although Kaitlyn was her one of her closest friends they were two very different people. Hermione would rather stick her nose in a book and stay there and Kaitlyn loved to go out and have fun. Hermione had to admit she was enjoying herself.  
  
The first week she was there, Kaitlyn insisted on dragging Hermione around London so she could discover her "new look". To her surprise she found one that she loved. She even got her navel and her cartilage on both ears pierced. But after the new Hermione was discovered Kaitlyn had done her best to set her friend up with every guy in sight.  
  
At first Hermione had refused, but seeing as there was no stopping Kaitlyn she gave in. None of the guys she went on dates with interested her much. Its not like she could fill the silence with anything about her life. She couldn't just tell them that she was a witch and she attended a school for witchcraft and wizardry. They would think she was insane. So this was going to be the last date that she was going to let Kaitlyn set her up on.  
  
"You really think I look good, Kat?" Hermione glanced in the mirror once again.  
  
"Of course I do." Seeing that her friend was still unconvinced, Kaitlyn called for her girlfriend to come into the room. "Martie!"  
  
A girl with an unruly mop of curls the color of a purple Easter egg and a ring through the middle of her nose popped her head into the room. "What is it, baby?"  
  
"Tell Mya that she looks good."  
  
Martie slowly looked Hermione up and down appreciatively, making the other girl blush slightly. "He'll love ya, doll."  
  
"Are you two going to tell me something about the mystery man?" Hermione asked her friends curiously. Just then the doorbell rang.  
  
"Looks like we don't have to. Why don't you go answer to door?" Kaitlyn suggested as she pulled a giggling Martie onto the bed with her.  
  
Hermione took her friend's advice, rushing out of the bedroom before she witnessed something she really didn't want to. Checking her appearance once in the hallway mirror, Hermione swung the door open, but nothing could have prepared her for the shock she received when she saw who was on the other side.  
  
Draco stood in the hallway of the apartment building where he was supposed to pick up his date. A blind date. He normally didn't agree to go on dates with girls he had never met. You never know what kind of freaks you could end up with, but Kaitlyn had talked him into it.  
  
He had hit on Kaitlyn a few days ago but she had turned him down, saying that her girlfriend wouldn't appreciate it too much if she ran off with a guy. He could understand that, but since he was still bummed about being rejected, rejection not being something that a Malfoy experienced too often, Kaitlyn started telling him all about her friend, Mya. If Kaitlyn was telling the truth about Mya then Draco doubted he wouldn't enjoy this date.  
  
Running a hand through his hair, Draco rang the doorbell. After a minute it was thrown open to reveal a very beautiful but very shocked girl. She looked so familiar. Looking into her wide, coffee-colored eyes, he knew he had seen them before. Draco couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he shrugged his shoulders. He met so many people at parties and engagements that his parents held that there was absolutely no way to keep track of all the girls he had encountered.  
  
Extending a hand that held a bouquet of bright pink and yellow butterfly orchids to her he introduced himself. "Hello, I'm Draco –"  
  
"Malfoy." She finished for him, in a voice that held nothing but anger and resentment.  
  
Draco stared at the girl very hard, knowing that he had heard that voice before, knowing that he had heard his name spoken with such contempt before. Then it clicked and the confusion on his face was instantly replaced by hatred. "Granger."  
  
For several minutes both Hermione and Draco could only stare at each other, dislike clearly etched into every rigid bone of their bodies. They both heard the bedroom door creak open and turned to watch Kaitlyn and Martie make their way down the hall towards them. The two girls smiled welcomingly at Draco, who politely smiled back.  
  
"So, now that the two of you have met, where do you think you'll be going?"  
  
Draco opened his mouth to say something about how he would never go anywhere with her but Hermione shot him an evil glared and said, "Oh, I was thinking about that new club that just opened up. What do you think, Draco?"  
  
Before he had a chance to answer her with some scathing remark, Hermione grabbed his hand and pulled him out the door. Noticing the flowers that were still in his hand she snatched them from him and tossed them at Kaitlyn through the still open door, shutting it behind her as she left. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Hermione refused to let go of Draco's hand until they had exited the apartment building and were on the sidewalk. She knew that her friends would be spying through the peephole. Pulling her hand out of his, Hermione growled at him, "You can get off me now."

Draco gave her an incredulous look. Was she out of her mind? "Granger, if given a choice I wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole. You might have figured that out had you not immediately latched onto me and refused to let go."

"Whatever Malfoy. That was for the sake of appearances and nothing more." She stated, walking off and leaving him alone on the side of the street.

"Hey Granger, where are you going?" Draco called after her, but she ignored him. Then he thought about it. Why the hell did he care if she left? She was just some filthy mudblood, gorgeous, but a mudblood just the same.

'You know that isn't true.' said a little voice inside him. 'You like her.'

'I do not!'

'Liar!'

'I'm a Malfoy!'

'And that means what?' the voice asked, uninterested.

'Malfoys don't stoop so low as to even talk to her kind, much less like them.' Draco explained, as if it were obvious.

'You are lying and you know it. You can't lie to me. I am you, and I know that you never really bought into all that crap your father spat at you.'

'Maybe not, but I don't like her!' Draco screamed stubbornly at the voice in his head. 'She's Granger for Merlin's sake!'

'Then why are you so worried about her?'

Draco was about to argue with the voice but gave up. He was worried about her. Not that he liked her or anything but it wasn't safe for a girl to walk around London at night by herself. Especially one who was dressed like Hermione was that evening. Without hesitating further he ran up the street in pursuit of the girl he had claimed to be enemies with for six years.

A few blocks down the street Draco spotted her. She was walking into a club, a haughty expression plastered on her face. Draco sighed heavily. He had no choice but to go in after her. Watching as several other extremely attractive women made their way into the club, Draco smiled. "What a hardship."

Hermione walked quickly up the street and away from Malfoy. He was such and arrogant prat, thinking that she actually wanted to hold his hand! What utter nonsense!

'Oh, admit it. Holding his hand wasn't that bad. You may have even liked it.'

'No, I did not! Don't be absurd!' Hermione stated to the voice inside her, but then she thought about it.

His hand had been incredibly warm in hers, almost inviting. And she couldn't deny that he was very good looking. Playing Quidditch all those years had definitely done him good. And she couldn't deny either that before he had recognized who she was his eyes had been amazingly bright blue and had held a certain sparkle. They hadn't been the cold, unfeeling gray that had become so familiar over the years.

'So, you aren't denying that you are attracted to him?'

'No, I guess not. I suppose it would be silly to argue with my subconscious, now wouldn't it? But just because I find his physical body attractive it doesn't make me like him. He is still the same self-centered, arrogant prat he has always been.'

'Are you so sure?' the voice asked.

'Of course I'm sure! People like Malfoy don't change.'

"For Merlin's sake, I'm talking to a voice in my head!" Hermione said aloud, realizing how crazy it was.

Just then the club she had been looking for came into view. There was a line half-way around the block but Hermione didn't pay much attention to it. She knew the bouncer fairly well.

"Hi Gus." Hermione smiled sweetly up at the 6'7 black man with unbelievably thick muscles.

He grinned back at her. "Stay out of trouble, Mya."

Hermione swung the door open and winked at him before disappearing into the thick haze of smoke.

Draco reached the door of the club and stared up at the bouncer. He was a big guy. In fact, he could probably crush Draco's head in one of his oversized hands. Now, seeing as Draco was 6'2 himself with a rather athletic build, this guy was massive.

Standing up straight and taking on a confident air, Draco strode up to the doors of the club and proceeded to bypass the bouncer.

Gus put a heavy hand on Draco's shoulder, stopping the young man from advancing any further. Draco slowly turned around and removed the bouncer's hand from his body, giving him an icy stare. With an air of authority, he motioned for the larger man to come closer.

"Do you know who I am?" Draco hissed. Gus just stared.

"I am Draco Malfoy, son of Lucious Malfoy. Now let me pass." For a split second Gus' eyes grew wide but then the large man started to laugh, thinking it was just a joke.

Reaching into his back pocket, Draco pulled out his wallet and showed the hysterical man his identification. Instantly Gus sobered and opened the door for Draco, offering a thousand apologies as the younger man walked inside.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

The club was crowded and for a second Draco couldn't see Hermione anywhere but then he turned his head towards the dance floor and there she was. Hermione was sandwiched between a short guy wearing skintight leather pants and a spiked collar and a very tall woman who didn't seen to be wearing any clothes at all. And she seemed to be having a great time. She had removed the coat and the small sliver of skin that had been showing in between the boots and the skirt was now an inch wide gap that just continued to get wider.

Draco stood in shock for a few moments. This couldn't be the all-work-no-play bookworm he'd known for so long. The Granger he knew would never be grinding herself against anybody. Hell, the Granger he knew would never enter a club or where a miniskirt. He could get to like this knew Granger.

Suddenly Hermione spotted him out of the corner of her eye and Draco groaned. This wasn't going to be pretty. Hermione shoved spikeboy away from her and stalked towards him, hips swaying passionately in her anger.

Hermione was ready to yell at him, but yelling wouldn't do any good. They would end up getting carried away and in a public place that was very dangerous. Instead, she asked him curiously, "Are you stalking me, Malfoy?"

"In your dreams, Granger. This happens to be a public facility." Draco gestured to the many other people around them.

"Then why were you watching me?"

Busted. But Draco quickly recovered. "I was just watching your pathetic dancing. But I wouldn't expect a bookworm like you to know anything about dancing anyway."

Hermione's jaw tightened. She looked up at Draco to find him smirking down at her. She didn't know how to dance? Well, she would have to show him. Hermione grabbed the collar of his shirt and began to drag him towards the dance floor.

"Whoa, Granger. What do you think you're doing?" Draco was very confused.

"Well, you think I'm such a horrible dancer. I want to see if you can do better. Or are you all talk, Malfoy?" Hermione challenged, laughter sparkling in her eyes.

Draco grinned down at her. If she wanted to play this game, he was up for it. Malfoys never backed down from a challenge. "Alright, Granger. Let's see what you got."

They made their way onto the dance floor and instantly found the right rhythm. Draco wanted to die. He had the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on undulating against him and he had to act completely disinterested. He couldn't give in to her. Malfoys didn't give in, especially to some know-it-all muggle-born witch whom they claimed to hate.

Hermione groaned. Why had she suggested he dance? Was she crazy? Now she was stuck dancing with him, gyrating against him. There was no doubt at all that he could dance. In fact, he was quite good. The longer they stayed out there, rubbing seductively against each other, the harder it was for her to remember why it was that she couldn't stand him.

The song ended and a slower one started up. Feeling a little uncomfortable, Hermione began to leave, but before she could Draco grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her against him. Hermione had wanted to argue but it felt so nice, just being in his arms, both swaying to the music. It was almost like they weren't Granger and Malfoy anymore. Instead, they could be just Hermione and Draco, two people who didn't despise each other.

'I told you that you liked her.'

'I told you that he'd changed.'

'Oh, sod off!' They both screamed internally, relaxing into each other's arms.

Hermione laid her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart and softly humming along with the music. She couldn't believe that she was dancing with him of all people, and enjoying it of all things. He was Malfoy for Merlin's sake! But being there with him, slowly swaying along with a gentle rhythm, it didn't seem to matter. Closing her eyes, Hermione sighed softly.

Draco pulled her tighter, loving how she seemed to fit so perfectly against him. He rested his cheek against the top of her head and gently ran a hand through her long silky hair, enjoying the way the action stirred up the faint scent of jasmine as he did so. He shouldn't be enjoying this, but at the moment it all felt too right for him to really care.

The song ended and a faster paced one began, but the two of them stayed holding each other for several moments.

"Hermione..." Draco whispered softly.

Hermione turned her head upward and her eyes instantly locked with his soft blue-gray ones. Draco's head slowly bent down towards hers and Hermione felt herself reaching up to meet him, lips now only a few centimeters apart. Her eyes fluttered closed, anticipating the next moment.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Suddenly, Hermione's eyes snapped open and grew wide with panic. She was about to kiss Malfoy! Pushing herself away from him, Hermione ran out of the club, not even remembering to retrieve her coat in her rush.

She had to get away. How could she have been about to kiss Malfoy? He was Malfoy! He hated her. She hated him. That's the way it had always been, and how it would always be. So what had just happened back there? Hermione quickened her pace, too consumed by her own thoughts to realize that she was being followed.

It took Draco a few seconds to register what had just taken place. He had been dancing with Granger, and liking it, much to his shock. Then he had gone to kiss her, for reasons he couldn't quite remember at the moment. And then she ran off.

'Yeah, she ran off. Now go after her.' The inner voice urged.

Nodding to himself, Draco exited the club in pursuit of Hermione. Why did he care so much? He couldn't stand her. She was just Granger, annoying always-right Granger.

'You just keep telling yourself that.'

'Do you ever shut up?' Draco asked himself.

Hermione heard somebody behind her and she turned around to see Malfoy running to catch up with her. When he reached her they just walked in silence, both unsure of how to communicate with the other.

Finally Hermione couldn't stand the silence. "Why did you try to kiss me?

"It wasn't all me." He pointed out. "You were going to kiss me too."

"I most certainly was not!" she cried indignantly.

Draco rolled his eyes at her denial and crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh, and I suppose you weren't blatantly flirting with me either?"

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" she cried out in frustration.

"I just...It's...I mean...Fine, Granger. I'm gone." Draco picked up his pace, and this time it was Hermione who was left alone on the nearly empty street.

Hermione felt slightly guilty for yelling at him. He had been telling the truth. She had been flirting with him and out on the dance floor that almost kiss was as much her fault as his, but that was the problem. He was Draco Malfoy, and no matter how nice he was being or how good it felt to be held in his arms he was still the same Draco. One night couldn't excuse years of hatred, could it?

'Well, you'll never know if you keep pushing him away.' Nodding to herself Hermione went to find Draco, hoping that he hadn't gone too far.

Draco plopped down on a bench in the park in front of Hermione's apartment building. Women. Why did they always have to be irrational? Especially this one. She had snapped at him for nothing at all. Was it his fault that she had been throwing obvious signals in his direction? No, no it was not. But he still got blamed for it.

Of course he got blamed for it. She was the perfect Hermione Granger and he was Draco Malfoy, the King of Slytherin. If he'd told anyone that she had come on to him they would never believe him. But he would never tell anyone. Draco would forget about everything that he had felt when he was near her and move on.

Not like there was anything to move on from anyway. Sure he may have felt a slight bit of something out on the dance floor but it had been nothing. Probably just caught up in the moment. Granger was attractive. Any guy would have done the same in his situation.

The voice inside him scoffed and Draco ignored it. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, rubbing his temples to try to relieve the headache that was threatening to surface. When he opened his eyes again Hermione was standing before him.

"What do you want, Granger?" he was not up for another fight with her at the moment.

"I...I..." Hermione couldn't seem to say it and Draco couldn't help but notice how nervous she looked.

"Come on, Granger. Spit it out. I haven't got all night." He said, slightly amused at her sudden loss of confidence.

Hermione snapped her mouth shut at his obvious amusement and glared. Why had she even gone looking for him? He hadn't changed at all.

Draco became aware of the fact that he had angered her and sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I didn't mean to offend you or anything. What did you want to say?"

"IwantedtosayI'msorry." She said in one quick breath. Not daring to look at him, Hermione kept her eye's trained on the tips of her boots.

"I beg pardon, Granger, but I didn't understand a word you just said."

"I said I'm sorry! Are you happy now!" she yelled in frustration at having to repeat herself.

Draco smirked. "Yes, very much so. Especially since I heard you the first time."

"You insufferable -" Hermione stopped mid-sentence. Why was she rising to his bait? Sitting beside him on the bench, Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. "Why did you follow me, anyway?"

Now it was Draco's turn to be nervous. He couldn't just tell her the truth, could he? It would make him seem soft. To be concerned about her. Malfoys didn't care about anybody but themselves. It would completely ruin his reputation if she went telling Potty and Weasel that he, Draco Malfoy, had been worried about her.

Draco had made up his mind to lie, but when he looked at her he found himself looking into a pair of soft brown eyes. Dammit! He couldn't lie to her. What the hell was wrong with him?

"I just...It's...I mean...It's not safe for a girl to be walking the streets by herself." He stuttered; embarrassed that he actually admitted he cared.

Hermione stared at him, surprised by his concern. "And so you've taken it upon yourself to be my personal escort?"

Draco gave a quick nod, not looking at her as he did so. The way she was looking at him was making him increasingly more uncomfortable by the second. That was exactly why he never did anything nice. Everyone just looked on in shock, as if it were impossible for him to be decent because he was a Malfoy. His eyes reverted back to his lap, not wanting to make eye contact.

"And you think it's safe for me to be with you?" Hermione asked, breaking the long silence that had stretched between them.

Draco's head shot up to look at her just then, ready to reply with a devastatingly insulting comeback. But when he looked into her eyes he saw nothing but laughter and teasing. He grinned back at her. "Well, depends on what you consider safe."

She considered it for a minute then laughed. "I guess so."

That sat there in silence, but it was no longer awkward. It was a comfortable silence. A silence that was broken after a few minutes by the rumbling of Draco's stomach. Hermione laughed and Draco scowled at her, but only a few seconds later her laughter was interrupted by a growl from her own stomach.

Draco smirked then grabbed her hand and pulled her up off the bench. "Let's go eat, shall we?"

Hermione nodded but she didn't extract her hand from his. Instead she let him lead her across the street to what she realized was her own apartment building.

Hermione's face twisted in confusion as they walked through the door. "I thought we were getting something to eat?"

"We are."

"But there isn't any food at my place."

Draco guided her up a flight of stairs. "Then it's a good thing we are going to my place, isn't it?"

"You live in this building?"

"No, I rent a place here but just use it to take beautiful young women there to have my way with them."

He felt her suddenly stop and stiffen. Draco looked at Hermione, who looked a little more than slightly alarmed. Shaking his head he chuckled at her. "Merlin, Granger. It was a joke. I'm not going to attack you or anything." she still looked slightly skeptical. "I've behaved myself tonight, haven't I? I'm not so desperate that I would do anything without the other person being completely willing."

Relaxing a little bit and feeling completely embarrassed, Hermione nodded and Draco beamed at her. He squeezed he hand gently and continued up another flight of stairs.


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

When they reached the fourth floor Draco turned to the left and kept walking until he reached the door at the very end of the hall.

Hermione noticed that, unlike every door they passed previously, this door was different. It was missing a number and a doorknob, and it seemed to shimmer with magic. Then she snorted to herself. Of course there would be magic involved. A wizard did live there after all.

Draco pulled his wand from where it had been resting in the inner pocket of his jacket and tapped the door three times, muttering something under his breath.

The door swung open and Draco hurried her inside the room. After they were both inside he turned back to the door and again tapped it three times, saying something that she could not understand.

Hermione took a chance to survey her surroundings. The living room was done in a deep green. A black leather couch sat in the middle of the room with green and sliver pillows added tastefully. The coffee table and the end table and the lamps were silver with patterns of serpents etched into the metal.

There were even paintings on the walls which Hermione recognized to be Picasso and a few Van Gogh placed strategically around the room. But the thing that immediately captured her attention was the wall on the far side of the room, which was nothing but floor to ceiling bookshelves.

Draco turned around to find Hermione staring in awe at his collection of books, fingering them delicately. He couldn't help but smile at her.

"You do know it's rude to stare, don't you?" Hermione asked without turning around. She had been able to feel his eyes on her for at least five minutes.

"Yes, but I couldn't resist." Hermione turned and lifted an eyebrow at him. "You just look so adorable, like a small child on Christmas morning.

Hermione sent a glare in his direction but her stomach made a very loud sound and she looked at him expectantly. "Didn't you say something about food?"

Draco nodded, yet again taking her hand in his and leading her into the kitchen, which was also done in green, black, and silver.

"Ever the faithful Slytherin, aren't you." Hermione commented as she took in the decor.

"Obviously not. If I was then you wouldn't be here." Draco made his way over to the refrigerator. 'And I wouldn't be having a good time'

He opened it and started pulling out food. By the time he was done the counter was littered with food of all kinds, all heated or cooled to the appropriate temperature.

Hermione looked on as the refrigerator produced all of this. "You enchanted it."

"Duh, Granger. I would have starved if I hadn't." he said, rolling his eyes and pulling the last item out of the fridge.

"But it's illegal to enchant muggle artifacts." she stated.

"Only if you get caught." he smirked at her, and then waved his want and all the food that had been residing on the counter disappeared.

Without another word he walked past her and went into the living room. Hermione shrugged her shoulders and followed him. It wasn't like she cared if he got in trouble.

When she reentered the living room Hermione gasped. The furniture that had been centered in the middle of the room had all been pushed back and replaced with a blanket that was covered with their food. Candles were spread around the room and gave off a soft glow. The whole set up was so romantic that it was hard for her to accept that it was Malfoy who came up with it. But he had been full of many surprises that night.

"I thought you were hungry?" Draco asked from his place already seated on the blanket.

"I am."

"Then why are you just standing there?" Hermione gave a slight shrug of her shoulders and sat down on the other end of the blanket, but she found the task a rather difficult one because of the skirt she wore. Finally, she settled for lying on her stomach as she ate. Draco chuckled, but he kept it under his breath. They ate their meal mostly in silence. Every once in a while they would say something and the other would laugh and agree.

After they were finished Draco raised his wand and cleared off the blanket. He then wriggled to where he was lying lengthwise on the blanket and sighed smiling to himself, utterly content. Hermione laughed at Draco and went to lie on her back beside him, carefully making sure her skirt didn't ride up as she did so

"You've changed." Hermione blurted suddenly in an almost accusing tone. He raised an eyebrow. "Not in a bad way but it's different." When he raised the other eyebrow she added, "I like it."

"Well, I can finally be myself."

"What do you mean?"

"Since my father is in Azkaban I don't have to worry about anybody telling him about my behavior. Before my father was captured it was dangerous to show who I really was. The fact that I wanted to be a decent person was something my father hated and loathed about me. He would kill me if he knew that I was here with you now and liking it." Hermione nodded, taking in what he was saying.

"I never really hated muggles or muggleborn but that was what my father expected, and what Lucious wants Lucious gets." Draco couldn't believe he had just told her that. Never had he been so comfortable with someone that he felt he could just tell them the truth about his life. But she was different. Somehow he knew that she would understand.

"That explains why you were always so cruel, especially in crowded areas." Hermione said, and then her face showed another confused look. "Why weren't you nice when nobody was around?"

"Huh?"

"Well, I get that you had to act a certain way in front of people, but why didn't it change when it was just you, when none of the other Slytherins were watching?"

Taking a deep breath he tried to explain his past actions to her. "At first, I was never alone. There was always someone lurking that would have betrayed me. After second year I'd already created such a nasty image of myself that I do believe people would have gone into shock had I been anything less than horrible to them. It just became easier to always be dreadful. But I'm not denying that I did have fun some of the time."

"I guess I see your point. Not about the having fun torturing people, of course, but the rest of it makes quite a lot of sense. Anyway, I'm glad you're different now."

Draco laughed softly. "I'm not the only one who has changed."

Hermione looked like she was about to argue but he cut her off. "I mean, look at you. The piercings and pink hair and the miniskirt and the boots. Now, I'm not complaining but it's a far leap from the conservative bookworm that was at Hogwarts. And it's not just your physical appearance either. Tonight I watched you dance sandwiched in-between two mostly naked people and you were enjoying it."

"I haven't changed all that much, besides my looks." Draco gave her a skeptical look.

"I haven't." Hermione insisted. "I just haven't had much of an opportunity to act the way I did at the club. Plus, like you, I have a reputation also. If Harry and Ron had ever seen me like that they would have died on the spot."

Draco understood. It was hard to go against what people thought of you, even if it was the total opposite of who you were on the inside. And now that he thought about it, she wasn't all that different. Less bookish but she had always shown a fiery spirit no matter what she was involved in. But then he remembered something she's said. "How is Weasel doing? I thought you two were all lovey-dovey."

"Don't call him that!" Hermione snapped, but then her face gained a sad expression. "I wouldn't know what Ron is up to, honestly. We broke up after we got out for holiday. We weren't even on the train twenty minutes before the fight broke out."

"I'm sorry." he said, surprised that he actually meant it. She really seemed broken up about it.

"Don't be. We just weren't good for each other. I mean, I love Ron with all my heart, but I'm not in love with him. I never will be. He feels the same way about me; he just hasn't realized it yet. That's why I haven't heard from him. He's refusing to speak to me. And Harry is sticking by him!" Hermione pounded her fist against the floor, caught momentarily in the anger that had washed over her.

"They always were idiots." Draco mumbled under his breath, but Hermione heard and she nodded forlornly in agreement.

After a moment a she slapped what seemed to be a sincere smile on her face. "But Ginny still writes. Although she is being very careful not to mention anything to do with Ron and she tries to leave Harry out as much as she can. But that's proving rather difficult." Hermione said brightly.

Draco raised an eyebrow, silently urging her to continue. Hermione hesitated a moment, but she continued. "Harry proposed to Ginny last week. So almost everything she writes about now has something to do with the wedding. After the way Harry and Ron have been acting I wonder if I'm even invited."

Once again her face held a mixture of anger and complete misery and it was almost too much for Draco to take. How could they be so stupid? Hermione was the best thing Weasel had going for him. Just because she didn't want to date him he was giving her the silent treatment.

Then he gave it some thought. If he had been dating her and she'd suddenly decided she didn't want to be anything more than friends would he be able to accept that? Staring at the amazing woman next to him, her beautiful features highlighted by the millions of candles surrounding them, Draco shook his head. No, he wouldn't be able to accept that at all.

They stayed quite, lying on the floor, both wrapped in their own thoughts, for hours. Both understanding that they didn't need to speak for them to be comfortable around each other. And both were greatly shocked to realize that the people that had always been considered the enemy were the ones who they seemed to be most comfortable with.

Hermione's yawn jolted Draco out of his deep thoughts. When he raised up on his elbows to look at her she was already asleep. Gently, he lifted her off the floor and carried her to his bedroom. He laid her down on the soft bed and she moved just a little in her sleep, her silky hair falling across her face.

Draco brushed the strands back and stared at her for a few seconds in the pale moonlight that shown through window. Without a second thought he kissed her forehead and then retreated back in to the living room.

After rearranging the furniture to its original position, Draco tried to sleep. But sleep would not come, for all he could think about was how soft her skin felt against his lips and how he shouldn't be feeling that way.


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Rolling over with a groan, Hermione hid her head under the pillow, trying to escape the sunlight. She'd had the strangest dream. It had to be a dream, the evening had been too absurd for it not to be.

The delicious scent of bacon mixed with the heavenly aroma of coffee floated through the room. Hermione smiled, very pleased with the fact that she was the one not having to make breakfast for once. In fact, the food smelled so glorious that it was enough to lure her out of the comfortable darkness that was provided under the pillow.

Yawning tiredly, Hermione climbed out of bed. She was only slightly startled by the fact that she was wearing the clothes from her dream. It was just a coincidence. She'd probably went out in that outfit and that's why she was wearing it in her dream. But she couldn't recall doing anything the night before. Just the dream stuck out in her mind.

She completely ignored her surroundings and let her nose and very hungry belly lead her to the kitchen. She didn't even look up as she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table.

Draco watched her and was in shock. He'd been so sure that Hermione would throw a fit when she woke up and realized where she was. He didn't think their heartfelt talk the previous evening would open her eyes to the fact that he was trying to be a better person. He turned back to the breakfast he'd been preparing at the stove.

"You would not believe the dream I had last night." Hermione stated, taking a sip of the delicious liquid.

"What kind of dream?"

Hermione's head shot up at the question asked by a very male voice and screamed. No, it had been a dream. It had to have been a dream. But, if it was a dream, why was Malfoy standing in front of her, wearing what looked to be pajamas and cooking breakfast?

Covering his ears at Hermione's high-pitched shriek, Draco made his way towards the table. He knew she had been taking it too well. "Pipe down, Granger. Your going to wake the dead."

Imediately Hermione stopped screaming, not because Malfoy had told her too, but more for the reason that she realised it was pointless. Screaming would not change the fact that she was sitting at her worst enemy's kitchen table or the fact that what she'd hope had been a dream had really taken place.

But then it occurred to her that maybe she didn't want it to be a dream. The night before had been nice, better than any of the nights she'd had all summer. And Malfoy was different now. He was't the immature prat that she had been forced to deal with for the past six years. Now he was thoughtful and sweet and very unmalfoyish.

It crossed her mind that Ron and Harry and even Ginny would probably consider it a gigantic betrayal that she had befriended Malfoy, but she ignored that thought. Harry and especially Ron weren't being very friendly right now anyway.

Hermione felt the blood rush to her cheeks in emarrassment. She had just done something incredibly foolish by screaming like she did. Draco had been so kind to her and she had to repond by acting like a silly nitwit. She looked up and let her eyes meet his. "I'm sorry."

Draco laughed.

"What?!" Hermione cried indignantly.

"Nothing, nothing." He was still laughing as he turned back towards the stove.


End file.
